


Transliteration 1 - Research

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-25
Updated: 2007-07-25
Packaged: 2019-02-02 02:43:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12718029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: No matter what size he may be, Daniel loves to do research





	Transliteration 1 - Research

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: I finally succumbed to Little Danny fic. Slightly revised since its first posting over on the LD list yesterday. This is NOT part of the Small Boy, Big City series. This is a ficlet with a downsized toddler Daniel who has Jack as his guardian. This is kind of a one-off so therere may never be any more than this. Then again, lord only knows WHAT the Muse may have in store. :)  


* * *

Colonel Jack O’Neill tucked one hand in the front pocket of his jeans, sipped his coffee and enjoyed his Saturday off. The plain navy blue t-shirt was the only other clothing he had on. Scrunching his toes against the rough wood of the deck he watched the small figure in his backyard contentedly. This was what a day off should be. Through the open door to the house he could hear knocking. Checking the backyard first, he hurried to open the front door. 

“Good morning, sir.” Carter, likewise dressed in casual clothes, held a thick file in one hand. 

Waving his coffee mug toward the living room and the wide open door to his porch, he said “Come on in. Daniel’s in the back yard. You can set that,” he nodded at the file, “on the table. You’re welcome to help yourself to some coffee if you like. Mugs are in the cabinet to the left of the coffeemaker. Sugar’s on the counter.” 

“I can only stay a few minutes, sir. Pete and I are heading off to the farmer’s market.” 

“That’s all it’ll take. Trust me, you’ve got to see this,” he grinned. 

As she dropped the report onto the dining table, he went back to the porch, scanning for Daniel. Kids could get into so much trouble in such short amount of time. Luckily, Daniel was right where Jack had left him, sorta. Jack chuckled to himself as he watched the toddler. This was far more entertaining that anything on television including hockey which said a lot as far as he was concerned. Carter joined him, holding her mug in both hands. When she looked at him enquiringly, he gestured to the yard with his chin. Curious, she turned her head. He could tell when she saw Daniel because both eyebrows went up and she tried not to smile. 

Doctor Daniel Jackson, former adult and triple doctorate, now a child of about 15 or so months, was in the back yard naked as a jay bird. The only thing he could remotely be construed as wearing was the pacifier, or binky, in his mouth. With the unsteady gait of the very young or the very inebriated, he toddled determinedly around the yard, sitting on different surfaces with his bare bottom. 

Keeping his voice low so he wouldn’t distract Daniel in his quest for knowledge, he told Carter, “Today, he learned how to take his diaper off. Not five minutes after I’d wrestled the little monkey into a fresh one, I find the diaper on the floor, and him leaning his butt back against the couch in the den with this thoughtful look on his face. Next he tried the carpet then the wood floor in the hallway. He even backed up against the door to my bedroom and the wall next to it. I think he’s doing research.” 

Carter laughed quietly with him, then asked “Um, what about…I heard that if little boys don’t stay covered, they, ah…” 

He nodded. “Oh yeah. Quite true. That’s why I moved him out doors.” He pointed to the steps leading from the porch to the lawn. “Luckily he only peed on the edge of the step there. I’ll still have to hose it down, though.” His amusement came through clearly. 

As they sipped their coffee and watched, Daniel’s wavery legs gave out and he unexpectedly sat in the grass. Climbing back to his feet, he frowned and rubbed his bottom with one hand. 

“That’s the same reaction the carpet got,” whispered Jack. “Must be too scratchy.” 

Daniel spied the low retaining wall that separated the garden from the lawn. About a foot high, it was made of field stone topped with blue slate. The child made a beeline of sorts for the wall, stopping inches in front of it. He turned his head this way and that, getting an eyeful. First one chubby hand reached out, then the other joined it. Slapping both palms against the stone several times, he crowed, then turned around and sat on it. 

Daniel’s eyes opened wide. Behind the pacifier, they could see his mouth form a perfect little O. He stood back up, stubby legs pistoning madly as bare feet stamped rhythmically on the soft grass. Daniel panted excitedly, snatching his binky from his mouth. Waving it over his head, he came to a halt, shouted some gibberish at Jack and laughed. Popping the binky back in place, he plopped his naked butt back down on the slate wall. Bouncing up and down, he giggled around the pacifier then wiggled his bottom against the stone. 

Jack hid his smile in the mug as he took another sip. “I think we have a winner,” he murmured through his grin. 

Beside him, Carter snorted, then covered her mouth with her hand. After a surreptitious glance at her watch, she said her goodbyes and let herself out. Jack stayed where he was, one hip resting against the wooden railing, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood on the weekend and watching Daniel explore the world around him. 

This was what it all came down to, thought Jack. Finding joy in the simple pleasures – that was what life should be about. It was so easy to forget that when you carried the weight of the world, or the SGC, on your shoulders. Adult Daniel would have told him the same thing, of course. The toddler Daniel couldn’t say it in words – yet- but his actions told Jack that Daniel understood the concept at a basic level. 

Daniel sat on the wall for quite a while before it finally lost its appeal. Moving on, he wandered the yard pulling on the leaves of the bushes. Apparently there was no need for further research once he had found the ultimate surface for his delicate tush. 

Setting his empty mug on the porch rail, Jack ventured past the wet spot on the stairs and in to the yard to gather up his boy. Daniel was smiling and ‘talking’ to himself as he happily curled up in Jack’s arms. As they passed the retaining wall on the way back to the porch, Jack paused a moment. He put one bare foot on the wall, feeling the smooth cool stone beneath his calloused heel. Maybe late tonight while Daniel and the neighbors were all sound asleep he would slip outside for a few minutes and see for himself what all the fuss was about. 

FINIS


End file.
